Chapter 6

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Main Quest 2

"…There was no reaction at all?"

"Yes."

Isabella, who received the report from the women, sat on a chair made of lion skin and stroked her chin.

She had the beautiful women, who would inevitably elicit a reaction from any man, wash her feet. This was both the highest honor in the desert city of Faisalmere and a trap to test the Holy Seer.

And this trap was one from which no one could escape, even if they were not a man.

They were trained so thoroughly that they could detect even the slightest change in heart rate and the subtle trembling of the skin. No matter the age, gender, or status, anyone who came into contact with their hands would inevitably show a true reaction.

Yet, there was no reaction at all.

Though it was a perplexing situation, a smile bloomed on Isabella's lips.

'So, it's an unshakable heart. Just as I heard.'

She had heard countless rumors and stories about the Holy Seer.

The most fundamental aspect was the unshakable heart. The Holy Seer, who had dedicated everything to the stars, was said to be immune to any temptation of the present world.

"Is there anything else to report?"

The five women spoke in turn.

"He asked to have his feet washed from the beginning. He knows the etiquette of Faisalmere."

"He moved through the palace without hesitation."

"He remained calm when he saw the bones of monsters hanging on the walls. Instead of being startled, he admired them and praised the taxidermy skills."

"His skin was as soft as silk, but his muscles were as elastic as those of a wild horse."

"Most importantly, he seemed to value communication with the stars."

Isabella nodded at the honest impressions and reports of the women.

There was nothing ordinary about him.

First, he knew the etiquette of Faisalmere. The fact that he asked to have his feet washed suggests that he had visited Faisalmere before.

Moreover, slaves or commoners would be overwhelmed by the sight of the palace. The fact that he moved through it without hesitation indicated that he was of no ordinary status.

'Noble, or perhaps royal?'

His confident demeanor and tone. The fact that he did not waver or argue back when confronted was certainly reminiscent of a noble or royal.

While the Holy Seer is said to be born from the stars, they are ultimately human. As humans, they would naturally have a social status.

The ability to recognize taxidermy skills suggests a broad knowledge. To have such knowledge, one would need a certain status.

'His skin is as smooth as silk, and his muscles are as elastic as those of a wild horse... Contradictory, but as a Holy Seer, everything makes sense.'

Holy Seer. It's truly a magical word.

There are no Holy Seers in the desert. An unknown entity has appeared here, and no matter what they say, we have no choice but to believe them.

Isabella, having organized her thoughts, spoke.

"He said he was communicating with the stars?"

"Yes."

"I need to see it for myself."

"But... If he stops communicating, he will lose his status as a Holy Seer..."

Isabella chuckled.

"Will you be unable to communicate just because there's one more person?"

The women closed their mouths.

The presence of one more person wouldn't make communication impossible.

If they wanted a quiet conversation, they could simply observe in silence.

A conversation between two people?

Isabella couldn't hear the voice of the stars anyway. Even if she were present, it wouldn't interfere with their communication.

Isabella stood up.

And she walked quickly towards the Holy Seer.

*

...If I had been a little later, it would have been a disaster.

Isabella von Dersian. When I opened my eyes, she was staring at me.

I was lucky to log in as quickly as possible.

After roughly dealing with the situation in the real world, I logged back into Pangeania. My calm mind and clear judgment led me here.

'There are monsters and summoned players in the real world. They appeared as Pangeania characters. The failure of this expedition is likely due to them.'

The difficulty of this game, Pangeania, increases exponentially at some point.

NPCs who were once friendly suddenly betray, and allies suddenly turn into bandits.

No matter how many possibilities I consider, they have always interfered in ways beyond that.

This expedition was no different.

...But what if all the 'interfering elements' were players?

Of course, not all of them, but if there were a significant number of 'trollers'?

If someone who doesn't want the ending or considers me a competitor has been intentionally interfering...

'I need to cut them all off.'

Harmony? Friendship? We've already crossed a bridge we can't return from.

Hundreds of characters have been deleted due to such interference. Even my strongest character, which contained all my essence, was killed and deleted.

I suddenly remembered what a soldier said when I was first summoned.

—Damn. If it weren't for the internal conflict, the expedition would have succeeded...

There's something I don't know.

Even the Demon King, whom I faced alone, suddenly became one of the '8 Heroes.'

This means there's a 'speaker' capable of manipulating such achievements. The speaker could be an individual or a group.

No, it must be a group.

There is a group of players who intentionally interfere with and kill characters suspected of being me. They have even fabricated rumors about me and spread them in Pangeania.

8 Heroes.

Clearly, they are intentionally undermining the superiority and uniqueness of my last character.

So, what I need to do is to become strong as quickly as possible.

To secure safety in both the game and the real world.

For that, I need to...

"The Holy Ground is not accessible to just anyone."

"You can enter, right?"

She was necessary.

Isabella von Dersian.

A tragic character I created but abandoned.

I don't remember doing it, but she is now known as the Snake Princess and is the second-in-command of Faisalmere.

The nickname I originally chose was not that.

'Asuka Kirara...'

...I felt a bit sorry. But in Pangeania, nicknames are treated as aliases. The real name and identity already exist, and the player possesses the body.

Anyway.

"If someone is secretly brought in and it's discovered..."

"This is the last chance to leave the desert. Think carefully before you answer."

Isabella's eyes wavered.

"How did you know I want to leave the desert?"

"The stars told me."

"..."

She had no words to say.

Of course, there is no setting that Isabella wants to leave the desert.

Such a setting doesn't exist.

But Isabella is a player character. An existence that must travel the world and see the ending.

Given that she is bound to the desert by a curse, how frustrating must it be?

I felt the same way and gave up.

'The fourth star I obtained.'

When I was leveling up my previous character, I discovered the supreme star hidden in the desert's Holy Ground. I am the only one among all players who knows its location.

That star is undoubtedly special. If I can obtain it, I should do so as quickly as possible.

"...The Holy Ground kills those who enter without permission."

"That's not a concern at all."

I have already seen the end of this place.

I have already identified all the traps that exist there.

I have several hidden traits that work in sacred areas.

Isabella glanced at me after hearing my answer.

"At dawn. When the moon begins to set, stay awake."

She then turned and left with a blank expression.

*

At dawn.

"Choke!"

In the basement of the palace, I followed Isabella through a hidden path, moving quickly. The soldiers we encountered along the way were dealt with by Isabella.

Her methods were impressively efficient. She attacked and killed the soldiers without hesitation.

Isabella had a talent specialized in assassination. She was so agile that most soldiers didn't even realize they were dying before closing their eyes.

'There's no one like her.'

I felt a chill down my spine.

If Isabella had intended to kill me from the start, I wouldn't be alive now. Not just me, but most beings called strong would have met the same fate.

There's no one more reliable as an ally.

We ran without hesitation, and a massive altar came into view.

Stone statues lined up around a staircase leading underground.

"This is the Holy Ground."

Her eyes asked, 'What do you plan to do?'

She herself seemed reluctant. The Holy Ground of the desert is that complex and chaotic.

But there's no turning back. We've crossed a bridge too far.

Why did Isabella kill all the soldiers?

'Evidence elimination.'

It's her way of ensuring that no one will know about her unauthorized entry into the sacred area.

If I tried to turn back, she would cut my throat without hesitation.

"I'll go in first."

I shrugged and stepped onto the staircase leading to the underground altar.

Then, numerous messages appeared before my eyes.

《You have entered the hidden sacred area of the desert.》

《Side Quest: Explore the sacred area.》

《You can earn rewards based on your exploration rate.》

《Caution. Your level (2) is below the recommended level (8) for exploring the sacred area.》

《Caution. The area is filled with poison and evil energy. It is recommended not to enter if your resistance to evil is low.》

《You are protected by the hidden trait 'Giant's Resistance to Evil.'》

《The hidden trait 'Mutant' is activated.》

The hidden sacred area. A place where a level 2 beginner should not enter.

It was a place that could only be reached by receiving permission from the queen or defeating powerful warriors.

I entered through a loophole, using Isabella as a front.

The rewards from exploring the sacred area are substantial.

But that's not all. My initial goal was not just the side quest.

《Main Quest 2: 'Obtain a Class' has started.》

《You can obtain a class in the sacred area.》

《This quest will end the moment you obtain a class.》

《Reward: Varies based on the class obtained.》

The second main quest.

'The reward varies based on the class.'

A smile naturally formed on my face as I read the conditions.

In the world, the strong monopolize everything. There's no place where this is more evident than in Pangeania.

However, this quest was subtly different from the first main quest.

To obtain a good class, one must also have good luck.

Not everyone with good skills will have an excellent class.

But I had no worries.

'I'll be first again this time.'

I have the skills, luck, and the hidden traits that encompass both.

One of the 13 hidden traits, Mutant.

'I can see hidden paths.'

The trait that allows me to see what human eyes cannot began to manifest.